“MUMMY, things are getting better.”
The words brought a smile to the face of 12-year-old Reynaldo (not his real name), and those of his mother and younger sister.
“I’m going to write another letter to Dear Christine and say a big thank you to the people who are helping us,” he added.
For Margaret (not her real name) and her two children, the past week has been one of tremendous blessings – far removed from the past years when they struggled to find food, and generally to survive.
Readers across Barbados reached out, and continue to, to this St Michael family, after Reynaldo took it upon himself – unknown to his mother – to write a touching letter to the Government and people of Barbados through
THE NATION’S Dear Christine column. His was a passionate plea for financial help that caused many to shed a tear.
The telephones at THE NATION were kept busy, and emails came one after the other as Barbadian responded to this lad’s plea.
Tired of going without food and facing the dread of having no electricity or gas in his home, this brave boy sent out an SOS, knowing his mother, who has difficulty reading and writing, could not do it on her own.
Today – just days after her son’s letter reached the Dear Christine desk – things are getting better for 38-year-old Margaret, who was able to secure a job and receive financial and other assistance.
Margaret’s life has never been a bed of roses. As she shared aspects of it with the SUNDAY SUN last week, she spoke of making wrong choices; going hungry for weeks; pacing the house at night trying to figure out how to provide for her children; crying herself to sleep; but in the midst of all that, praying to God to help her out of her desperate situation. He did.
Today she can thank all those who have and are offering to help.
“I just wanted a job to help my children, and I want people to understand why I want to remain anonymous. If I am known, my son won’t be able to take the shame and frets. I want to protect him and his sister.
Growing up in her urban district, Margaret was one of ten children.
She recalled: “Life was okay for me until my grandmother died. It was she who used to look out for us, since my mother worked as a labourer and cook up to 15 hours some days. She was hardly at home, holding down two jobs at a time.”
Margaret and her siblings were often left to fend for themselves.
“My mum never had time for us. We hardly used to see her and I did whatever I liked. If I felt like going to school I did. If I did not want to go, it was all right.
“My mother had it hard making ends meet. She worked on bank holidays and on Christmas Day. Although my father was in the picture, he was never around.”
At the age of 13, Margaret met a man, 30 years her senior, who offered to take care of her – but at a price. She was to be “nice” to him.
He became a family friend, but Margaret’s mother had no idea the man’s help was in exchange for use of her daughter’s body. Margaret lived the life of an older teenager, going on trips and enjoying the nicer things in life.
This relationship continued for over ten years. By the time she was in her mid-20s and had secured a job, she pulled the plug on the relationship.
When she met her child’s father (a Barbadian) on an overseas trip, things had been good, but almost instantaneously afterwards, her life started to go downhill.
“I had a job for four years working for minimum wage. Then I got pregnant with my son. I was so sorry,” she said, pausing to offer this bit of advice: “I want to warn young people to be careful who they have children for. Sometimes women, or men, put curses on their family when they go with the wrong person.
“My son’s father treated me like a dog, although I did everything I could to help him improve his life. He would curse me, spit in my face, and destroy my possessions. Eventually I had to get police protection.”
By then, Margaret’s life was totally messed up. After six years, the two parted; but young Reynaldo became a troubled child.
Her next relationship was much better, but her daughter’s dad never accepted her son.
“I never wanted a second child, but I got pregnant again and soon found myself alone,” she said, her face etched with disappointment.
She spoke of the days when she possessed just three pieces of underwear and two brassieres.
“I worked, but on many occasions, I had nothing for myself. Everything went towards the children. There was nobody to help.”
Welfare soon became a reality, but the $180 a month could not help very much this mother who went without a full-time job for two years, and lived off part of her mother’s pension.
“I would go to the supermarket on Saturdays and by Monday had nothing to eat. When I paid the bills, I had no food and when I had food, it was because the bills were not being paid.
“I would beg my mother, or my daughter would eat just eggs and drink water. Not so with my son; he would want food.”
Today, she refers to Reynaldo, who wrote a few letters to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, “as the sweetest son in the world, but who is sometimes rude to her”.
“He takes on my burdens and can be easily offended. He is very protective of me, but I would say he is a troubled child. He wants better for himself and his family, but he is not sure how to get it,” Margaret cried.
Sitting in her modest living room, which becomes her bedroom at night, in the one-bedroom house given to her by the Urban Development Commission – thanks to former Prime Minister David Thompson – Margaret explained how she first asked her son to write a private letter to the current Prime Minister in 2010.
“Christmas was approaching and we had nothing to eat. The light and water were off. I told him [Stuart] if he could not give me much, to at least help me get some water and food for the children. I never got a return.
“A friend later gave me his cell number and I text him. One night out of the blue, he responded and said he would help when he returned from overseas.”
Advised by his staff to get a police certificate of character and to fill out some forms, Margaret obliged, with the help of her son – but to no avail.
“People may think my situation is all a plot, but although I only went to a composite school, I am not a person who likes to depend on welfare. I would rather get up and work for what I want.
“Some people would never understand what I have been through.
Who knows it, feels it. Going to sleep hungry and waking up hungry is not easy when you have children doing the same.”
Again, referring to her son’s letter to Dear Christine, she says: “I was surprised when THE NATION called me about a letter.
My son likes to write, and is always saying he will be prime minister one day.”
Today, Reynaldo joins with his mother to say a big thank you to those who have offered to help.
“I am only 12, but size matters not. What I have enjoyed most during the past week has been going to school with money to spend, and having food to eat. It is not the end to our situation. I would like ongoing support,” he said.
Last Christmas, the family went without food, but Reynaldo is hoping this Christmas will be much better.
“I would like to thank everybody who pitched in to help. My life is a little better because we have something to eat, and our bills are being paid. If there is anything I can do in return to help these people, I will.”
Who knows? Maybe someday he will be prime minister.
